Winter 2011
Volume: 10 | Number: 1
Putting America’s international power in historical context, building—and measuring—community in the Ozarks and nationwide, how sleeping is social, and a closer look at teen parents and low-wage women workers.
The Roots of American Decline
Using historical comparisons, the author analyzes America’s faltering international power and argues that it will take more than good will and high hopes to save the empire. Read More
People Like Health Reform When They Learn What It Does
Theda Skocpol explains the basics of the Affordable Care Act, arguing that Americans embrace the reform when they understand its core provisions. Read More
Grounded Thought
At the end of Voltaire’s great satire of the Enlightenment, his erstwhile “hero” Candide asks his profoundly naïve and misguided teacher, Pangloss, whether he still … Read More
Kids Today!
Cyber Bullying and The We Generation lament youth incivility in the Internet age. Reviewer Katherine Brown Rosier puts these critiques into historical context and suggests paying attention to privilege--for adults and youth alike. Read More
No News Is Not Good News
In their respective books, Alex Jones and Jack Fuller examine what news is, how traditional journalism has been threatened, and how it can sustain its mission in the future. Lee Konstantinou’s novel brings these theories to life, painting a picture of the “mediasphere" in the not-so-distant future. Read More
Families Facing Untenable Choices
Inflexible employment undermines mothers’ ability to provide family care. Playing by the rules of middle class institutions poses particular challenges for low-income moms. Read More
“Children” Having Children
Putting a face on teenage pregnancy helps us to look past stereotypes to understand the challenges of teen parenthood. Read More
Our Hard Days’ Night
Sleep on this: sleep is a highly social endeavor, posing a puzzle and a prism through which to view life in the wired era. Read More
Measuring Social Capital and Building Community in the Ozarks
Collaborative efforts in the Ozarks develop and apply knowledge about social capital to bolster civic engagement. Read More
A National Ceremony
U.S. Census Director Bob Groves sheds light on the scope, mechanics, and mission of his bureau and its most famous project. Also: working as a Census enumerator, Colby King learned firsthand the challenges and importance of accurate counting. Read More
